but they're cute helpers

Home from work a little late, trying to take some photos outside in an effort to catch the light before the sun goes down completely. Not ideal, but I needed a photo of this piece in order to apply for a show.

I got a couple done and then...

Reality.

Reality comes with helpers.

(claw claw claw on my thigh to get my attention)

I had to bribe them with a piece of lunch meat so I could finish taking pics.

They've trained me well.

woodland birthday cupcakes

My Christmas Eve baby celebrates her 7th year this year.

The girl, who has me firmly wrapped around her finger, had originally demanded requested a rather elaborate stump cake but amended that demand request last night to cupcakes, which are far easier for me to manage. They were quite fun, actually.

I made some wee mushrooms and stones out of fondant and made moss by adding food coloring to graham cracker crumbs and candy shred. I think they're cute as can be, and birthday girl does too.

She made the fairy herself, and a tiny snail. (and I hope that's frosting under her fingernails, but it's probably dirt)

A very happy day to my very special girl, and to those that celebrate it, a Merry Christmas from all of us under the poplar and pine. Wishing you all a New Year filled with health, happiness, and magic.

xo

Lisa

brighter day

The color of the mushroom tops against the little bit of snow we have left, and the fact that I finished this project for a friend on time (ok, barely, but technically on time) makes my day brighter on this, the day after solstice and the returning of the light.

Enjoy your day, all.

my 8x8 piece

We're having a fundraiser where I work in which almost 50 of our artists have created artwork on 8"x8" canvases that will be sold starting Sat. Oct. 10th. We were to make a piece that was representative of our "style" and this is what I came up with.

The first thing I did was to take the canvas off and use just the frame. I needled my scene and, in wanting to keep the 8"x8" size, "framed" my piece with leather belt pieces.

It looks at home on the forest floor but it's actually meant to hang on the wall.

Those ants found their way into my piece, I'm sure, because of this encounter.

For those of you that are local, please join us on Oct. 10th from 10-2 in the Crossing Arts Gift Shop in the Franklin Arts Center for this fun sale, mingling, and snacks. Each of the pieces will be available for sale for $50 or you can take your chances and place a bid at $25. If no one outbids you by the end of the month, the piece is yours. There are some beauties to be had, and it's for a great cause.

Happy Sunday, all.

checking in on the mushrooms in the tree

I took a few minutes to walk in the woods yesterday and check on the mushrooms I had planted in the tree. I hadn't checked on them since November so I expected a change but you know...not much has happened.

We've had so little snow this winter that it still looks like fall in the woods. Bitter cold we had plenty of, but very little snow. 

The only major difference I saw in the mushrooms was that they were leaning more, and the color had drained from the caps, a fact I find interesting since the caps were undyed wool to begin with. The green is still quite vibrant but the undyed grey has faded to almost nothing.

The little rock is still in there too. No one has been digging into this mushroom like they had with the first.

The transition, with yesterday's view at the top, November in the middle, and the October beginning at the bottom.

We'll see what spring brings.

a mouse in progress

 A wee mouse is peeking out of his hole beneath the boletes.

A piece I'm making for a fundraiser for a local charity.

I just need to finish up a few details and the wood base.  Almost done.

As always, this piece is made of solid wool by means of a felting needle.  No gluing, no structural sewing, just poking wool a gajillion times with a barbed needle until it tangles into a shape I like.

more progress

Almost done with my new piece!

If the light cooperates I should have photos to share tomorrow.

little shrooms in the shop today

A trio of tiny terrariums will be heading to the shop this morning, right after I finish photographing them.

Each scene made of wool with a few stitched details.  No wire, no glue, just fiber.

They each come with a small glass dome to help keep them safe from dust and kitty claws.

They're sewn to wood bases that I make by hand of oak and poplar from my woods.

Little labors of love, they are.

I appreciate these captured moments from the woods on these cold wintry mornings.  Even on days that I can't venture out to be among the moss and mushrooms, I can still conjure up that feeling when I'm surrounded by these pieces.

If you'd like to have a look, check HERE later this morning.

Thank you!  Happy Sunday!

meddling with mushrooms

I've taken a break from stones to meddle with mushrooms for a while.

These little sweeties will be under glass soon, and now that my new bandsaw blade has arrived, given some little wood bases too.

Pics soon.

Happy Thursday.

mushrooms on their way

Yesterday I shared a glimpse of a new felted piece I had just completed.  I added a dash of cute to this one in the form of a wee mouse.  Not just any mouse, but my very first mouse.

I made him peeking out of his hole beneath the shade of an amanita.  He peers out with his glass bead eyes, his whiskers a' twitchin'.  He is poised to scamper out and grab some seeds to sock away for winter.  I guess it's a good thing he's trapped under glass. 

In order to avoid using glue in my pieces, I instead drill holes through the wood base (this one a chunk of chokecherry I cut) and sew the scene to it.  It's a bit of extra work, but it's a detail that I think is important.

This teeny pair of mushrooms made their way to my shop yesterday too.

These guys are tucked in amongst the moss and sporophytes, blades of grass and pebbles, set into a chunk of oak I brought in from my woods.

Both of these have found new homes already (thank you, ladies!) but I enjoyed them so much I have a feeling I'll be working on others soon.

wordless wednesday

Scampering into the shop soon.